Hub City Holidays

A CHRISTMAS CATALOG “A complete guide to Christmas Shopping, Events & More!”

HUB CITY

For The Greater Hattiesburg Area

A digital copy is available at Impact601.com/HubCityHolidays

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CELLPHONE • TABLET • COMPUTER REPAIR & ACCESSORIES

Traditions S TA F F Managing Editor

Sales

Betty Busby Kim Wilbanks Marquita Robinson

Kevin Williamson

Writers Martha McCarty Kevin Williamson

Graphics Stephanie White Candice Pittman Traditions is a product of

For more information contact 601-649-1129

on the cover

Cooper Tyner, son of Cody and Sarah Tyner of Laurel, enjoys baking cookies with his grandmother, Elizabeth Hinton.

for the

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3 great reasons to give homemade gifts

N

early every holiday shopper has at least one person on their list who seemingly has everything. When shopping for such loved ones, shoppers often find the perfect gift to be especially elusive.

While gift cards are a go-to fallback option when shopping for the person who has it all, many gift givers feel such cards are a tad too impersonal. But in lieu of traditional store-bought gifts, shoppers stuck on what to buy should consider the many great reasons to give homemade gifts.

1. Homemade gifts show your loved one how much they mean to you. Gift cards are practical, but they rarely elicit the warm feelings holiday shoppers want their gifts to produce. A homemade gift will show your loved one that you put time and effort into making their holiday season special, and that’s something they will appreciate when they use or see the gift.

2. Homemade gifts won’t break the bank. Holiday shoppers working on tight budgets likely won’t have to break the bank to create a homemade gift. The Internet is a great resource for inexpensive homemade gift ideas.

3. You can control quality with homemade gifts. Store-bought items are not always of the highest quality, and no shopper wants to give a gift that falls apart within a few days. By creating the gift yourself, you can ensure it’s made with the highest quality materials so it will withstand the test of time.

(traditions) IN THE MAKING

Counting down to Christmas Day means many different things to people across the globe. Although families likely have several different traditions they anticipate each year, it can be fun to incorporate some new merrymakers into the festivities. Here are some festive ideas to include in the days leading up to Christmas — a special family calendar of fun!

1 2 3 4 5

Annual memento: Have the kids or adults make one new handmade ornament each year. This way the tree is always evolving, and everyone can track milestones.

Cookie day: Devote one day to making Christmas cookies.

Invite friends or family members over. Distribute some cookies to elderly neighbors.

Holiday classic: Spend a night in and watch a classic Christmas flick you’ve never seen before. Streaming movie services often put classics and obscure titles into rotation during the holiday season.

Christmas concert: Host a gathering of children where they can sing or perform their favorite tunes for an audience.

Take it on the road to a nearby nursing home.

Dine out: Take a break from cooking, shopping and hosting and stop into a restaurant you’ve been meaning to try. Keep it local to support nearby businesses.

6 7 8 9

Adopt a child/family: Volunteer with a charitable organization that provides for less fortunate families. Answer the Christmas desires of a needy child or family by purchasing an item on their wish lists.

See the sights: Pack the children into the family car to tour nearby areas and look at Christmas lights displays. Bring along cookies and hot chocolate.

Trim a tree:

Get together with adult friends at a tree-trimming party. Rotate the hosting house each year.

Play dress-up:

A gentleman can dress up as the man in red and pop into a friend’s holiday gathering.

10 Acts of kindness:

Choose any act of kindness and make it happen this Christmas. It can include feeding the hungry or helping a disabled person shop for the season.

11 Scavenger hunt:

Plan holiday-themed trivia questions and hide small trinkets for children to find.

12 Read religious stories:

Understand the true meaning of the season by reading Biblical passages.

13 Camp-in:

The first night the tree is decorated, allow the kids to sleep beside it under the glow of Christmas lights.

14 Kids' secret santa:

Spread the joy of giving by having the kids choose a sibling or friend’s name from a hat and purchasing or making a gift for that person.

15 Surprise box:

Put a gender and age nonspecific gift into a box. On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, the person who finds a hidden gift tag under their chair at dinner gets to open the box.

16 Family portrait:

Wear your holiday finery and pose for a portrait that actually will be printed and framed.

)

70206

Black Friday Hours: 8am - 6pm

528 N 15th Ave. Ste. C Laurel 601.425.1441

i v i g s k Than LET'S NOT FORGET

By Martha McCarty Oh, my! How I do love that day! Thanksgiving that is. I do believe that I enjoy it even more than I like Christmas. And that’s saying a lot! Yes, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, for sure!

Several years ago I noticed that it’s November before we here in south Mississippi see much fall color in our trees. It’s around the middle of that month that our hardwoods begin to show off and send hues of gold, orange and brown across a chilly breeze. And by Thanksgiving our yards are full of fallen color, and the air is brisk and crisp. Pumpkins sit on porches beside rockers draped with quilts. And again it’s time for families to gather by the fires of home.

Now, the children love their Jack-o-lanterns in October and look so forward to Rudolph’s December fun, but Thanksgiving seems to be more for the rest of us. I suppose we’ve all dressed up like Pilgrims or Indians and had our party feasts at school, but it seems Thanksgiving is our only holiday that’s still as it ought to be.

And thank God we still remember!

To some it’s the Macy’s parade in the morning; others can’t miss the ball game in the afternoon; most all enjoy the feast of the noonday meal; and still others think of Black Friday’s shopping excursion the next day. There’s something for each of us to enjoy and cherish about this occasion, and we all have a favorite time, but for me it’s the gathering of my family and the memories that we make when we’re all together.

I try to do most of my cooking ahead of time so that I can watch the parade during the morning. I’ve always enjoyed a parade and watched many in Laurel from the dressing rooms of the Carter-Heide building. But the pomp and circumstance of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade tops them all. Mama said that as long as I still believed, the magic would continue, and that parade still ushers in the magic of the season.

With the plan of keeping the Little Brown Jug for another year, Laurel’s Golden Tornadoes always confronted Hattiesburg on Thanksgiving afternoon, and that was not a game to miss. In addition to the excitement of the game, we girls always wore a new winter suit for the occasion, and on the lapel of that suit coat was pinned the huge golden mum with the little brown football tucked into its petals.

Those Tornadoes have given way to professional teams now, but watching a good football game on Thanksgiving afternoon still offers our tummies time to do what they must with that big meal we just enjoyed.

And what a meal it is we enjoy! That great big turkey that used to strut and gobble out on Grandpa’s farm does sing his song in another way on that day. And the dressing, sweet potato casserole, greens and pies are mighty fine indeed. Let’s not forget the cranberry sauce, pickled peaches, spiced apple rings, olives, pickles and homemade rolls. I was asked once to take the yeast rolls from the oven and to bring them and the butter to the dining table. The family was gathered there, but the rolls and I never left the kitchen. I buttered one, ate it and buttered another! When my sister came back to check on me, she took the rolls away from me. I never made it to the table. By the time I’d eaten my fill of hot rolls, I couldn’t eat anything else. One of my nieces laughingly said, “Aunt Martha is like the Pillsbury dough boy. If we sat her out in the sun right now, we could watch her rise!” Now, I do for sure love a hot, buttered, yeast roll!

Traditions 14

ing The McCarty extended family Several of my sisters, our daughters, granddaughters and nieces look so forward to the big shopping day on Friday after Thanksgiving. They have actually stayed up all night to get a start at midnight on Thanksgiving night. They have lists made, money counted and ready, and nerves on edge to fight the crowds. But happily I let them leave me at home. I don’t like such crowds, nor do I care to get into a fight over a set of sheets or even a new big screen television. I’ll willingly pay more later for what I really need. But they will don their matching sweat shirts and happily stand in freezing lines to wait for doors to open while I sleep comfortably in my nice warm bed.

If I ever have to do without my parade or even those yeast rolls, I will make it fine, as long as the family gathers and I can be there with them. It’s the sisters, the brothers-in-law, the children and the grands that call me in to gather. It’s the nieces

and nephews and all of the new in-laws and out-laws that keep being added to the mix that make the family so special. Most I love dearly, some I’ve learned to accept, and a few I’ve taught myself to tolerate, but each one adds his own flavor to the mix . . . and each and every one is cherished as part of our family. As of late our number is dropping, as one at a time we older ones are being called home, but the younger of us keep adding to our number as well. So whoever makes it here this year will be welcomed, and I’ll thank God for them all. Pictures taken at Thanksgiving through the years are among my very favorites, even if I never cared to pose for any of them then.

Yep, Thanksgiving is a time for just such as that, and I’ll give my thanks for all that I’ve been given. I wish you all a gracious and enjoyable season as well. Happy Thanksgiving to you!

from the staff at

Mike L. Zachary 443 Short 7th Ave. • Laurel (601) 649-8211 MR1115

O H L I D Y AYS P P A H from The business owners at

THE PINE TREE VILLAGE Shopping Center Grocery Depot • 1st South Checkholders • Bancorp South ATM • China Wok • Elegant Nails • Family Choice Financial • Hattiesburg Clinic • Heart & Sole Boutique • Hill’s In-House Jewelers • Jackson Hewitt • Live Mobile (AT&T) • Magnolia Vapes, LLC

• One Main Financial • Onin Staffing • Popeye’s • Sassy Scrubs • Teresa’s Family Table • The Bombshell Hair Salon • Thomas Pharmacy • Topher’s • Tower Loan • Well Control

Thank you for shopping and supporting these local businesses! We greatly appreciate it!

MR1114

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Happy ...from our family to yours! s y a d Holi Gale Cooley Realtor

Cell: 601-580-7296

130 Leontyne Price Blvd., Suite C Laurel, MS 39440 Office: 601-651-2449

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sandra.vaughn@laurelhometownrealty.com

w w w.laurelhometownrealty.com MR1109

Sandra Vaughn

g n i l o r Ca LET'S GO

BRING BACK AN OLD TRADITION

Christmas carols help set the mood for the holiday season. Such songs are played in stores to create festive atmospheres for shoppers, and many families play seasonal music as they decorate their homes for the holidays.

Carols were first sung in Europe thousands of years ago during Winter Solstice celebrations. When Christian holidays replaced many of the pagan celebrations, Christian holiday carols replaced the earlier songs.

Before Christmas carols were sung by the general public, they were enjoyed during church services, when they sometimes were performed by official carol singers. However, new carols became popular during the Victorian era, when many ordinary people took to the streets to share holiday joy with others through the gift of song. Wassail, a thick, hot and spiced beverage, often kept carolers warm, and soon wassailing and caroling became intertwined.

Although carols and other songs are still popular forms of entertainment at school concerts and some religious group events, the classic tradition of carolers going door-to-door has largely fallen by the wayside. But those who want to bring back this once beloved tradition can take the following steps to do just that.

• Find a caroling group leader. It helps to have someone who has a sense of musicality and pitch to lead the caroling. Carols are usually sung a capella, so you’ll need a strong singer to guide others and keep them in tune. Recruit a theater or music student or even a member of your church choir. Fill out the rest of the carolers with volunteers who have moderate to strong singing abilities. Of course, you can accept

anyone, as it’s more about sharing the joy rather than having a pitchperfect group.

• Choose a neighborhood to visit. Select an established neighborhood where there are likely to be many families and even seniors who will be most receptive to carolers. Place fliers in the mailboxes alerting residents of your caroling plans for those who want to be home to enjoy the free show.

• Promote your plans if you want a larger crowd. If you want to make the caroling a big event, promote your plans in the local newspaper or in a community bulletin. This way everyone in the community can take in the caroling show.

• Choose a handful of well-known songs to sing. Your audience will appreciate easily recognizable songs they can sing along with if they choose.

• Print lyric sheets. Although the lyrics to popular songs are widely known, it helps to have them handy if carolers forget verses. Keep extra copies on hand in case others want to join the caroling group.

• Get a sponsor. If you live in a rural area and caroling door-to-door is impractical, see if a local retailer will let you carol outside of his or her store or business. Doing so can set the holiday mood and may generate free advertising and increased business for sponsors.

• Involve youth groups. Kids love the holiday, so including them in your caroling efforts can bring smiles to many faces. Speak with local youth groups to determine if their members may want to join in your efforts to spread holiday cheer.

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the color

Something for Everyone o Streamlight® Flashlight

Available at Dixie Pump & Supply Kendra Scott Ellie Earrings - $65

Available at Hill's Jewelers

GLOCK 19X 9mm

Available at The Gold Mine Pawn & Gun

Handmade Jewelry

Available at Anderson Square

Opalescence Go® Teeth Whitening Gift Sets - $70 Restoration Bath House® Bath Bombs

Available at Ellis & Walters Dental

Available at Cotton Boll

Watercolor Tee - $29 short sleeve/ $33 long sleeve

Available at Allie's on Magnolia

CC® Beanies - many styles to choose from

Available at It's What A Girl Wants Husqvarna® Power Automower® 450X

Available at ProFlow Motorsports K2 Coolers

Available at Dixie Pump & Supply

1.00cttw Diamond Twist Halo - $1,499.99

Available at Dixie Hill's Jewelers

e on Your Christmas List Assorted Jewelry Many styles available

Available at Misbehavin Boutique

Big Green EggÂŽ - Any Size

15% Off! Available at Phillips Building Supply

Boots - many styles to choose from

Tassle Purse

Available at Epic Styles

Available at Royals Western Store Recliners - many styles to choose from

Available at Rubies

Popcorn sweaters & cardigans $29.95-$53.95

Available at Pink Anchor

Direct to Garment Printing!

Available at Quinn's Pharmacy & Gifts

Swan CreekÂŽ Candles & Drizzle Melts

Available at Ellisville Florist & Gifts

Something for Everyone o Benelli® Super Black Eagle 3

Available at Gold Mine Pawn & Gun

Duke Cannon Supply Co. Gift Sets

Available at Cotton Boll

Assorted Jewelry

Available at Epic Styles

Famous Name Brand Sunglasses

Available at Eye Care Associates

The IceMule Pro™ Large (23L) Cooler - $99.95

Available at Guild & Gentry

Sherpa Pullovers - Assorted Colors $51.95

Available at Southern Sass Too Case® Knives - Assorted Styles

Available at Dixie Pump

Hammerhead™ Go Kart

Available at Pro Flow Motorsports

Remington® Thunderbolt 500 ct. .22 Ammo - $15.99

Available at Phillips Building Supply

Erimish® Apple Watch Bands

Available at It's What A Girl Wants

e on Your Christmas List Customized Wood Signs

Available at The Craft Room

Earrings - $7.95 - $14.95

Available at The Pink Anchor

Christmas Table Centerpiece

Available at A Lasting Impression Florist & Gifts

Very G® Boots

Available at Misbehavin' Boutique Assorted Bonnie Angela® Jewelry

Available at Ellisville Florist and Gifts

Assorted Printed Socks - $12.50

Available at Southern Sass Too

Everything you need for Fall Fashion!

Available at Sass & Class

Oak River® men's & women’s leather goods

Available at Cotton Boll

Something for Everyone o Mickey Mouse Clubhouse® Childrens' Recliner

Available at Blackwell's Furniture

Paul Mitchell® "So Much Cheer" and Tea Tree® "Celebrate Cheer" Gift Sets

Available at Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture

Girls' Assorted Styles Sweaters Sizes 7/8 - 13/14

Available at Allie's on Magnolia

Brillilant Blossoms® Stainless Drinkware

Available at Heart & Sole Boutique

Laurel Watch Co. Mens Watch - $330 Hazel Villiage® Dolls & Doll Clothing (Matching Childrens' clothes also available)

Available at Hill's Jewelers

Special Pricing on Gas Logs!

Available at Rent All of Laurel

Available at Cotton Boll

Traeger® Tailgater Grill

Available at Town & Country Feed Store

Kioti® Mechron 2240 Concord Tractor

Available at Ellisville Auto

on Your Christmas List Glory Haus® Ornaments

Available at Cotton Boll

Husqvarna® DRT900E Rear Tine Tiller

Available at Ellisville Auto

Lafonn Initial Necklace - $95

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Available at Pine Belt Credit

Corinthian Bell® Wind Chimes

Available at Blooms & Bushes Too

Sequin Clutch Purse

l Assorted Holiday Flags and Mailbox Covers

Available at Sass & Class

Available at Shirley's Discount Store

Browning® Wicked Wing Rifle

Available at The Gold Mine Pawn & Gun

Comfort Colors® Sweatshirst Assorted colors

Available at Parker's Wholesale

Blue Jean Jacket

Available at Misbehavin Boutique

Something for Everyone o American Land Master速 LS677 UTV

Available at Ellisville Auto

Girlie Girl Originals Sherpa Pullovers

Available at Heart & Sole Boutique

Hobo速 Magnolia Purse - $248

Available at Southern Sass Too

Kendra Scott Elisa Necklace - $65

Available at Hill's Jewelers

Wedge Tennies

Available at It's What A Girl Wants

Happy Everything速 by Cotton Colors速

Personalized Gifts

Available at The Shirt Shack & Knicknacks

Available at Rubies Assorted Cell Phone Accessories

Available at Smart Phone Repair

Mi-T-M Kerosence Forced Air Heater

Trijple Recliner Sofa

Available at Blackwell's Furniture

Available at Rent All of Laurel

on Your Christmas List Wildgame Innovations® 8 mp Blade Camera $49.99

Available at Phillips Building Supply

Mention this ad for $10 Off a set of volume lashes!

Available at High Maintenance Salon

Assorted Bedroom Groups

Available at Blackwell's Furniture

Earthgrace® Jewelry

Available at Rubies

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Available at Pink Anchor Bell Bottom Pants

Available at Sass & Class FedEx® and UPS® Shipping Services

Available at Quinn's Pharmacy

2019 Polaris® Ranger XP 900

Available at Pro Flow Motorsports

Cozzy Fire® Electric Fireplace - $90

Available at Parkers Wholesale

it's not CHRISTMAS without

t e v l e V Red Patty’s Red Velvet Cake Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 cup oil 1 tsp vinegar 1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 1 Tbsp cocoa 1 bottle red food coloring 2 eggs

Directions: Cream sugar and oil; add eggs; beat well. Sift together flour, salt and soda. Put cocoa, vinegar and food coloring in cup and mix well. Add to sugar mixture and mix well. Add buttermilk, flour mixture and vanilla.

Bake in 3 9” layer pans @ 325 degrees F for 20-30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Pecan Frosting Ingredients: 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1⁄2 cup butter, softened 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 (16 ounce) package powdered sugar 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended.

Beat at high speed until smooth; stir in pecans.

Traditions 40

Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 Tbsp cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups milk

2 Tbsp white vinegar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/2 Tbsp red food coloring 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 cup salted butter , melted

Directions: Preheat an electric non-stick griddle to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.

Combine milk and vinegar, allow mixture to rest for 2 minutes. Pour milk mixture into a separate bowl and add sugar, eggs, food coloring, vanilla and melted butter. Whisk mixture until well combined. While whisking, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Butter griddle if necessary and pour about a 1/4 - 1/3 cup batter at a time onto hot griddle.

Cook until bubbles begin to appear on the top surface of the pancakes then flip and cook opposite side until pancake is cooked through. Serve warm with Cream Cheese Glaze and garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves if desired.

Cream Cheese Glaze 6 oz cream cheese , softened 6 Tbsp butter , softened 2 cups powdered sugar Directions: Blend cream cheese and butter until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients and mix about 1 minute until well combined, adding additional milk to thin if desired. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Sake Cafe

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Japanese Restaurant

Ingredients:

Great Gift Idea

1 (18 1/4 ounce) box Red Velvet cake mix 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs Powdered sugar, for rolling

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Directions:

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Preheat oven to 350°. Stir (by hand) dry cake mix, oil and eggs in a large bowl until dough forms.

Dust hands with confectioners’ sugar and shape dough into 1” balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until center is JUST SET. Remove from pans after a minute or so and cool on wire racks.

1/2 cup milk , plus more if desired 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2001 Hwy. 15 N. • Laurel

601-649-3818

Nov. 24

Holiday Happenings Dec. 1

Small Business Saturday Annual Shop Small Amex Campaign

City of Ellisville Annual Christmas Parade, 2 pm

Nov. 24 & 25

Christmas at Landrum's Homestead & Village/Candlelight Tours

Dec. 1 Kiwanis Pancake Day

Dec. 11 & 13

Story Time Play Date's Annual Christmas Parties at Laurel-Jones County Library and Ellisville Public Library

Fun book, crafts and refreshements. Free admission. Laurel location is Dec. 11 @ 10am and Ellisville location is Dec. 13 @ 10am. Groups of 6 or more please RSVP to m.jones@laurel.lib.ms.us one week in advance. For more info call 601-428-4313 ext. 104.

Sat. 9 am-close; Sun. 12 pm-close $10 admission. Children 3 & under free.

All-you-can-eat pancakes & sausage. Tickets $5 advance or $6 at door. Locations: YWCO in downtown Laurel and First Baptist Church.

Nov. 29

Dec. 2 & 3

Annual Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting at Pinehurst Park, 5:30 pm

College Concert Choir Christmas Concert, 6 pm

Local choirs, dancers, childrens' choirs

First Baptist Church, Laurel. Free admission.

Regular bi-weekly schedule will resume on January 15, 2019

Nov. 29

Dec. 6

Dec. 16

Laurel-Jones County Library Holiday Open House, 6:00-7:30 pm

Childrens' crafts, refreshments, Santa Claus, special guest Mark Landis, world renowned artist.

Nov. 29

Jones Junior College "A Jingle Jazz Christmas" Benefit Concert

7 pm @ M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium Please bring one new unwrapped toy for the Salvation Army's "Angel Tree" program as admission to the concert.

Dec. 13

Victorian Christmas Tea, 3:30-5:00 Hosted by the YWCO. Cost is $20 per person. Limited seating. For

more info call or email the YWCO, 601-428-5694 or ywcooflaurel@gmail.com

Dec. 7

Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas Concert at Laurel Little Theatre 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Dec. 8

Brunch with Santa at the YWCO, 10:00-11:30 Cost is $10 per person, age 2 and under free.

Nov. 30 Ellisville Tree Lighting

Dec. 1

Laurel Sertoma Club Annual Christmas Parade, 10 am

Enjoy breakfast with Santa, hot cocoa, and decorating cookies. For more info call or email the YWCO, 601-428-5694 or ywcooflaurel@gmail.com

Final Childrens' Program of 2018 at Laurel-Jones County Library

"The Story of Christmas" 6 pm.

Free admission.

presented by Highland Baptist Church, 2513 North 7th Ave., Laurel, MS 39440 For more info call 601-428-8493 or visit www.highlandchurch.net

Dec. 21 The Magic of Downtown

The YWCO of Laurel will host cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus as part of The Magic of Downtown event. Free event, donations accepted.

Dec. 24

Life Church's Community Christmas Eve Service, 6 pm

Special music, candles, carols, Christmas message, food and fellowship. All are invited.

5021 Hwy. 84 W, Laurel.

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Shop Local

Shopping is a big part of the holiday season, when families and friends gather to reconnect and exchange gifts. While the popularity of shopping online has grown, such practices are not always eco-friendly or timely, as gifts bought online must be packaged and shipped, wasting valuable resources and time that last-minute shoppers may not have.

The benefits of shopping locally go beyond convenience and the chance to reduce your carbon footprint. The following are a few ways that shopping locally this holiday season can directly benefit your community and the people who call it home.

LOCAL ECONOMY When men and women shop locally, they are putting money back into their local communities. Local small businesses may be owned by your neighbors, and it can be comforting to know that your holiday shopping dollars are going to support a neighbor instead of a large corporation.

Local businesses also employ your neighbors, so shopping local can strengthen the local economy by creating jobs that may not exist if you and members of your community fail to support local small businesses.

COMMUNITY IDENTITY Local small businesses go a long way toward creating a neighborhood identity, and that identity can create a stronger sense of community among you and your neighbors.

In addition, a unique community identity can make your town more attractive to outsiders, and that appeal can improve the value of local real estate while also attracting more people to local businesses in your neighborhood.

UNIQUENESS OF GIFTS The gifts you buy when shopping locally also can benefit your community. Gifts purchased from small local businesses tend to be more unique than items bought from national chains, as smaller retailers tend to sell more homemade items than their national competitors.

Recipients of such items may find such gifts more thoughtful than the mass produced items bought from national chains, and the uniqueness of homemade gifts may encourage the gifts' recipients to visit your community and do some shopping, further benefiting your local economy.

CUSTOMER SERVICE The accessibility of customer service is another often overlooked benefit of shopping locally. When buying from national chains, especially during the holiday season when such businesses may be overwhelmed with orders, making contact with customer service departments can be a trying exercise in patience. Long wait times on the phone or online can make the process of contacting customer service extremely frustrating. But such frustration is rare when buying from local businesses, as consumers can simply take their products into the store, where employees can immediately address their concerns. In addition, buying locally makes it more convenient for friends and family members who also live in your community to return their gifts.

Timeless Traditions BAB2715

& QUALITY YOU CAN TRUST Visit our showroom for all the latest styles of Delta® Faucets and Aquatic® Tubs and Showers.

We’re sure to have something just right for your home just in time for the holidays!

Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

1148 South 16th Ave. • Laurel, MS

601.649.1172

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Loblolly Boutique & Crescent Line Toys 601-433-9332

@Loblollylaurel crescentlinetoys.com

317 N Magnolia St. Laurel, Mississippi